SA Garden Series #4 - Up the Creek! Traditional Cache
Theblondefh: Will check with the BC people and get them to replace
SA Garden Series #4 - Up the Creek!
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Don't need a paddle for this! Very few people know that we have some great coffee growers in our country - albeit they're of the tiny kind.
This third generation family run concern has been growing for 30 years and is the southernmost plantation in Africa. Internationally, an estimated 11 million hectares of farmland is dedicated to coffee plantations. South Africa has less than 200. The first coffee in South Africa was planted in KwaZulu-Natal at a missionary station during the late 1880s. During the 1930s, experimental plantings were done at the old government research facilities in Rustenburg in the North West Province. Very few commercial plantations existed, but during the 1950s some plantations were known to have existed north of the Magaliesberg near Silkaatsnek in the North West Province. During this time, the first coffee in the Magoebaskloof region was planted and in 1963 coffee was planted on a commercial basis on the Grenshoek tea estate near Tzaneen, Limpopo Province. Little expansion of the industry occurred during the next few years, but high international prices during the 1970s linked with political imperatives of the time, forced the government to seriously consider coffee production. By 1988, 1 525 ha of Arabica coffee were already planted and a further 380 ha were approved. In principle, the former Cabinet also approved possible further expansions of up to 5 400 ha. During 1987, South Africa produced 1 800 t of green coffee and production of more than 6 600 ton by the year 2000 was projected. Altogether by 1990 a total of around 700 ha were planted. Presently, 100 - 200 ha of coffee are under production in South Africa. An average yield did not exceed 1,2 t/ha, therefore the maximum South African production during the last decade was only approximately 120 t (2 000 bags of 60 kg). More reason to support local efforts! We've been visiting this plantation (and the nearby Clearwater trails and cabins, while hiking and biking the glorious Umtamvuna River Gorge) for the last 25 years, places very close to the heart.... Cycling trail runs through here from Clearwater too. Park and find! The owners run 45 minute walking tours every couple of hours. During business hours only. Cache has a 'Cars' badge for the FTF, so take a child! BYOP
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Sbyybj gur fzryy bs pnzcube. Qba'g tb onexvat hc gur jebat sbex va gerr :) Vs lbh'er fghzcrq, vg'f bccbfvgr bar!
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